I’ll trust Don’s judgment over snoozer Dryden’s any day.

Of course Dryden would support Genco, he’s a Liberal, anything beyond that is of no importance.

Don’s support has a little more substance, he’s going for the best person to represent Vaughan.
The Liberals and the media are all in a huff that Fantino has chosen to run for the Conservatives, they assumed he was one of their own. Had he chosen to run for the Libs they’d be over the moon and he’d be a real media darling.

That’s just the way it is, they aren’t fooling anyone but themselves. The people of Vaughan will decide whether they want an MP from the government or an Opposition MP to represent them.

I’ll trust Don’s judgment over snoozer Dryden’s any day.

Of course Dryden would support Genco, he’s a Liberal, anything beyond that is of no importance.

Don’s support has a little more substance, he’s going for the best person to represent Vaughan.
The Liberals and the media are all in a huff that Fantino has chosen to run for the Conservatives, they assumed he was one of their own. Had he chosen to run for the Libs they’d be over the moon and he’d be a real media darling.

That’s just the way it is, they aren’t fooling anyone but themselves. The people of Vaughan will decide whether they want an MP from the government or an Opposition MP to represent them.

I’ve now heard more from Don Cherry about why Julian Fantino should be elected in Vaughan than I have from Julian Fantino about why he should be elected anywhere.

At least Grapes isn’t a shameful gutless coward.

I’ve now heard more from Don Cherry about why Julian Fantino should be elected in Vaughan than I have from Julian Fantino about why he should be elected anywhere.

At least Grapes isn’t a shameful gutless coward.

He would never have run for the Liberals, but if he had, then the people of Vaughan would know what he had to say. He wouldn’t be allowed to hide from the voters the way he is.

I’m sold. Way to go team! (real conservative)

And if you lived in Vaughan, your opinion would matter to the candidates.

Not talking to the Toronto Star or other Liberal rags is not hiding. Your lefties are responsible for turning the media into a joke. Now accept the consequences of watching from the sidelines.

Many Liberals are very upset they were not prepared and resorted to a 2nd stringer not known in Vaughan. It was NO secret Maurizio was dumping the Liberal Party for the Mayoralty position.

Many Liberals are sick of the political games and lack of leadership and have left the party and refuse to donate anymore. This is not the party of our parents. It has become a shell or tired angry hacks that feel entitled to be in government.

Time’s up for Progressives: Carthago delenda est.
http://stopshouting.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-rebuttal-to-progressive-who.html

Liberals may hold on to Vaughan it has been a liberal riding for 22 years. The desperation and nasty personal attacks on Ford and Fantino show how the failure in the LPOC has become the default position.

The panic and fear in the progressive camp is widespread. Will the 59% of Liberals who want to dump Ignatieff jump to 70% if they lose Vaughan?

For a Conservative running for that seat, or any other, the last place to “talk” to the people is through biased printed rags like the Star, unless you’re from the Lib/Left, then it’s preaching to the choir.

If Fantino is so bad, why are the Liberals and their trumpeters so fussed, what’s the deal, why the worry if their candidate is so superior? According to the talking heads and screed scratchings, not to worry, Genco is the man.

If it was just the Star and Globe, I’d get it, sort of.

But he has skipped out on every single all candidates debate, has not held any town halls or anything in public where he might have to take unscripted questions.

What kind of respect is that showing for the citizens of Vaughan? Zero. What kind of arrogance is that? Tons.

Why are Fantino and Harper so afraid of ordinary Canadians?

Like I keep saying, if it was just the media, that would be a little bit understandable. Still cowardly, but understandable.

How is this guy going to speak up for the voters in Vaughan if he won’t even speak with them or take their questions?

Seems like the only opinion that matters to Fantino is Harper’s. Certainly not anyone in Vaughan.

He’s given up his greatest strength and asset: his reputation as an independent, straight shooting, straight talking leader.

How can anyone expect him to represent the citizens of Vaughan when all he wants to do is hide and act like a puppet?

Actually Ted you don’t get it. In your defence you are a Liberal so I don’t expect you to understand. The welfare state and a lack of accountability is under threat from Canadians who are fed up.
Feel free to use witty discourse “running scared”, “dictator”, “what is he hiding?”

We are tired of your progressives and your time is up. Carthago delenda est.

http://stopshouting.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-rebuttal-to-progressive-who.html

Liberalism=Socialism is dying and their is NOTHING you can do to prevent it.

Actually Ted you don’t get it. In your defence you are a Liberal so I don’t expect you to understand. The welfare state and a lack of accountability is under threat from Canadians who are fed up.
Feel free to use witty discourse “running scared”, “dictator”, “what is he hiding?”

We are tired of your progressives and your time is up. Carthago delenda est.

http://stopshouting.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-rebuttal-to-progressive-who.html

Liberalism=Socialism is dying and their is NOTHING you can do to prevent it.

For Ted who is so concerned that the good people of Vaughan are denied access to Mr. Fantino.

The Star is reporting that 200 people showed up for an all candidates debate.

‘….Last Friday night, nearly 800 people paid $500 each to have dinner with Fantino and Government House Leader John Baird.

Something is going on in Vaughan, and it’s not good for Ignatieff, who has been to the riding four times…’

See Ted,
Mr Fantino is meeting with Vaugh constituents,
and denying Liberal supporters ,’ brought in’ , the chance to attack him, and then use you-tube for a smear job, in the last days of the campaign.
That’s what Liberals do, lessons the Reform/Alliance learned.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Toronto+area+election+could+bring+news+Iggy/3875322/story.html#ixzz16DCT9pjZ

More than happy to have discussions with you CS… as soon as you start typing stuff that makes any sense, even just a bit of sense.

So he’s meeting with those who can afford to pay $500 for a dinner? And who do you think is going to go and spend that kind of big money, ordinary working non-partisan joes or hardcore partisans?

That’s a rhetorical question.

What are Fantino and Harper so chicken-sh*t scared about? Why such arrogance? Why are they afraid of ordinary Canadians?

It’s quite laughable how the Liberals are all gushy with the little folks who donate their funds in small amounts after Chretien fixed it for relying on the big guys for huge donations.

I’d be surprised if Ignatieff could entice anywhere close to that many people to a dinner.

Of course they’d be partisans at such a dinner, wouldn’t expect a Liberal would attend a Conservative dinner. Liberals could only dream of attracting such a crowd at any price.

Well, in point of fact, Ignatieff held dozens of gatherings across the country with at least that kind of crowd and has over 1000 people pay $1000 each year at the annual Leaders Dinner.

But that is beside the point and a deflection of the issue.

The issue is: Fantino will only meet with partisans. During an election. He won’t take questions that might be difficult or explain his positions or why he thinks he should represent Vaughan in Ottawa.

That shows arrogance and contempt for the voters.

Take for the gun registry for example: he has been strongly in favour of it until this fall. Citizens should be able to ask him about this. Did he flip flop because otherwise Harper wouldn’t sign his nomination papers otherwise? Will he be representing Vaughan voters or Harper’s ideological positions? Will he be a puppet or outspoken for the citizens of Vaughan?

What is he so afraid of?

BC Blue has a post up re why he missed the debate last night. And he had informed the organizers he could not make it. And of course lots of comments under the story that the PM is keeping him on a lease etc. A memorial Mass for his in-laws at a seniors center , that is a yearly event he attends, was the reason. Could it be that the organizers knew this and planned the debate on the same day.

Ted, are you aware that on Nov 29th, an Ontario liberal senator must vacate his seat. If Julian loses on that day, any chance he could go to the Senate, and get a cabinet position. Careful what you wish for.
What a choice, elect him for possibly 6 mos as an MP, until next election, or defeat him and possibly have him for 6 years in the Senate.

That’s a very interesting theory. I thought the seat was already vacant (as of very recently) but this would be an interesting and not unprecedented move.

I don’t think anyone has to worry too much about Fantino. He’s been in the public eye for a long time and knows how to stay on message.

The move by Chretien to limit the size of donations has been theorized to have been a move to handicap Paul Martin’s chances. It also put a huge dent in the NDP as it vapourized their contributions from unions.

This particular debate was organized by the Citizen for last Tuesday. Fantino informed the Citizen he had a conflict so they rescheduled for this Tuesday. All of the candidates promptly gave the OK but Fantino never replied despite repeated attempts at reaching him and his campaign.

But this is also not the only debate he has whimped out on. Genco has asked publicly for him to name the time and place, but Fantino is too afraid to do so.

It’s not a matter of being a person in the public eye. He’s running for a specific position as a representative on federal matters for the citizens of Vaughan and he is not willing to speak with the voters or respond to questions about what he’ll do. It is astonishingly arrogant and the complete antithesis to what Stephen Harper used to believe.

Liberals misrepresented Harper’s beliefs then. Tell me why I should believe that you’re not misrepresenting his beliefs now.

I always strongly opposed the social conservativism of the Reform Party, but their democratic reform platform was very much what Canada needed, particularly their strongly held view that MPs should represent their constituents, and MPs and Parliamentary committees should have more power than they do. These were even campaign promises by Harper in 2004 and 2006. And yet Harper has gone in the opposite direction and his MPs don’t care about their own grassroots (eg. the last CPC policy convention) or constituents (eg. urban/Quebec MPs voting against the gun registry, Fantino not speaking with constituents, etc.)

What the debate about, do you know? What does Genco need to know? Maybe we can answer his questions?

Hey Ted – Illegitimi non carborundum.

You’ve nailed it. I think many Canadians share that perspective, and went conservative last election in the view that these much needed reforms were worth the risk of the crustier right-wing dogma that comes with the package.But Harper has tasted that sweet, sweet power, and has quickly grown used to all the tricks and dodges that he criticized the Liberals for. Canadians will start to notice the real damage Harper’s doing to the Canadian fabric, and to our image and reputation abroad.If the Liberals had any gas in the tank, Harper would be a footnote by now. Unfortunately, they haven’t found their way yet, and the progressive centrist message is currently inaudible, as a right-wing wave from the south continues to wash over us.This too will pass.

I would have to say that at the start of this campaign, I wouldn’t have given any Conservative candidate a chance in this Liberal stronghold in Vaughan, but in all honesty, I am now sensing that momentum is shifting away from the “other side,” and that Julian Fantino may well just pull this off, which would leave the Liberal Party in disarray, right at a time when they need to be strong as we come into the time of a showdown over the next federal budget in February or March. In some ways, such as on the Afghanistan issue, Michael Ignatieff’s true core personal values are closer to the Conservatives than to the Liberals, so may be he is leading the wrong party who does not want to go in his direction. Hopefully, out of this, greater clarity will come so that Canadians will clearly and objectively see the choices that they have in the next federal election. As for today’s byelection, may the best candidate win!